Crop pickup cutter



April 9, 1940. E. w. SAIBERLICH c nor PICK-UP CUTTER Filed Feb. 11, 1938 Y 4 Shets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR ERWIN W. S AIBERLICH.

ATTGRNEYS' 9, 1940- v E. w. smaERqcH 2.196.645

' cno? PICK-UP cum-ma Filed Feb. 11, 1938 4 'Shoets Shoet 2 IYNVENTOR f' ERWINI w. SAIBIERLI'CH ATTORNEYS" April9, 194o; E. W. SAIBERLICH 2.196.645

- cm PICK-UP cum-m I Filed Feb. 11, 1938 4 Shafts-Sheet s ATTORNEYS AM 194% Y E. w. SAIBERLICVH v I 2,196,645.

0110? PICK-UP CUTTER.

4 Shoots-Sheet t ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 9, 1940,

PATENT OFFICE CROP PICKUP CUTTER ni-wmw. Saiberlich, Appleton, Wis., assignor to Fox River Tractor Company, Appleton, Wis.

Application February 11,1933, Serial No. 190,010

lclaim.

lo and to convey the picked-up material to a cutter on the machine, and to then deliver the cut material to a following wagon or truck by the use of a suitable blower or conveyor carrier mounted on and driven from the machine.

ll Another salient object of my invention is to provide a machine for quickly and expeditiously gathering straw and the like from a field without the strenuous labor generally attached thereto, and for simultaneously cutting up the straw during the travel of the machine, whereby the straw will be reduced in bulk to facilitate the transporting thereof from a field and over a roadway without the use of large cumbersome hay wagons, and to permit the storage of a greater :5 quantity of surplus crops without the necessity of erecting additional buildings.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine which will harvest straw and like crops with an expenditure of a minimum amount of time and labor, whereby the crops can be properly harvested during favorable weather conditions, and thereby lessen the loss from crop spoilage.

A further object of my invention is to provide a unitary crop pickup and cutter which can be conveniently drawn from and driven by a tractor and controlled or manipulated by the operator of the tractor from his seat, whereby the necessity of using additional help to operate the machine is eliminated.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a unitary crop pickup and'cutter in which a wide feed table-is provided for receiving the straw or othermaterial from the pickup fingers, and which narrows back to the cutting mechanism, the table having conveying means thereon for carrying the straw to the cutting mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means on the rear end of the table for insuring the proper delivery of the'straw orjthe like to' the cutting cylinder.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for stopping the deliveryi'of the material 55 to the cutter and for reversing the direction of travel of the feed rolls of the cutter, when necessity arises.

A further object of my invention is to provide means, for operating all of the parts of the machine, 'such as the pickup fingers, conveyors, 6

' beater head, treading roll, feed rolls, cutter and blower or carrier from a single main drive shaft, which can be either driven from the power takeoff shaft of the pulling tractor or from a supplemental engine mounted on the machine. 10

- A" still further object of my invention is to provide a novel and rugged wheeled frame for the machine, and to so balance the machine on the axle thereof that little weight will be carried by the drawbar of the tractor or the pick- 15 up shoes.

A'still further important object of my invention is to provide means for adjusting the feed table with the pickup fingers and shoes on the frame, whereby the pickup shoes can be posi- 20 tioned to engage the ground very lightly or ,to clear the ground entirely to permit the fast moving of the machine from one field to another.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consistsin the novel construction, ar- 5 rangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my 0 improved machine in use, and showing the same attached toand operated from a tractor and pulling a foliowing wagon for receiving the cut material.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through 3 the improvedmachine, taken on the line 2-2 of FigureiB, looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure Sis a top plan view of the machine. Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the ma-.

chine, with parts thereof broken away and in 40 section to illustrate structural details.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, detail sectional view taken substantially on the line. 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the connection between the frame adjusting lever and its pull rod.

Figure 6 is aneniarged, detail transverse section taken on the line 8-6 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the connection between the frame of the machine and the adjusting lever.

Figure" '7 is a detail, fragmentary sectional view, illustrating the means for operatingthe fingers of the pickup mechanism.

Figure 8 is a detail, fragmentary plan view,

operating the pickup the direction of the arrows, illustrating the means for stopping and reversing the feed to the cutting cylinder.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9, taken on the line III-l of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the means employed for operating various parts of the mechanism.

Figure 11 is a detail sectional view taken substantially onthe line of Figure 10, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the means employed for preventing operation of the pickup fingers and the table conveyors during the reversing of the feed rolls for the cutting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my improved machine, which comprises a frame II on which the various parts are mounted.

This frame l includes a hollow dead axle l6 preferably of tubular form, and the opposite terminals of the axle carry stub shafts or spindles on which are rotatably mounted the ground wheels l1. These ground wheels I! have preferably mounted thereon pneumatic tires [8. Rigidly secured to the tubular axle I6 at spaced points are frame plates l3, and these plates can be welded in position, if desired.

The two frame plates |9, at the right-hand side of the frame (referring to Figure 3), have welded or otherwise secured thereto channel or like structural beams 23, and these beams in turn have secured thereto forwardly extending beams 2 I, which in turn carry the feed table 22 and the pickup cylinder 23. The beams 2| diverge downwardly and forwardly, and the feed table flares toward the front of the machine. Suitable side walls 24, formed from metal 'or the like, can be provided for the feed table. The front of the table curves over the pickup cylinder and is provided with a plurality of cleaning slots 25, through which extend the spring steel pickup fingers 26 of the cylinder.

The pickup cylinder 23 includes end cylinder plates 21, which are rigidly mounted on a transversely extending supporting shaft 28. This shaft extends beyond the cylinder plates 21 and is journaled in suitable bearings 29' carried by the beams 2|. Rotatably supported at spaced points around the cylinder plates 21 are finger bars 29 on which are secured the resilient pickup fingers 26. The terminals of the finger bars 29 at one side have formed thereon cranks 30, and these cranks carry cam lugs 3|, which are adapted to travel around the periphery of a cam 32, which is formed onone of the bearings 29'. Thus, 'during rotation of the pickup cylinders, the

fingers 25 will be turned so as to properly engage and pick up the material and travel through the cleaning slots 25.

The cylinder is rotated by means which will be later set forth, but it is to be noted by referring to Figure 4 that the cylinder shaft 28 is provided with a sprocket wheel or the like 33, around which is trained a sprocket chain or belt 34. The extreme forward end of the beams 2| carry depending ground-engaging shoes 35, and these shoes can be braced in any preferred manner.

Directly in rear of the feed table 22, the mamechanism. This mechanism chine carries a cutting mechanism 38 and the upper and lower feed rollers 31 and 38 for delivering the material to the cutting mechanism.

In order to convey the picked-up material from the fingers 28 to the feed rollers, the table is provided with suitable elevating or conveying may comprise a centrally disposed endless feed apron 39, one run of which travels over the upper surface of the table. This feed apron is provided with suitable flights 49, and the opposite ends thereof travel over suitablerollers or sprocket wheels 4| and 42. The rollers or sprocket wheels 4| and 42 are keyed or otherwise secured to transversely extending upper and lower shafts 43 and 44, which are rotatably mounted in suitable bearings carried by the frame beams 2|.

In order to take up slack in the feed apron, an idle roller or the like 45 engages the lower run thereof, and this roller is carried by arms 44. The arms 45 are, in turn, rockably mounted on certain of the frame plates l9. Contractile coil springs 41 are utilized for normally urging the idle roller in a downward direction. The lower shaft 43 of the feed apron has keyed or otherwise'secu'redthereto a sprocket wheel 48, and the sprocket chain 34 is trained thereover. It can be seen that the pick-up cylinder is driven from the feed apron.

The feedapron is centrally disposed on the feed table, and as the feed table flares outwardly to provide the large forward end to accommodate the corn bundles or loose hay, it is necessary to provide side conveyors 49 on the table on each side of the feed apron. I

These side conveyors 49 are in the nature of endless .chains, and the chains carry prongs or fingers 50, which ride through longitudinally extending slots 5| in the feed table 22. The forward ends of the chains 49 are trained over suitable sprocket wheels carried by the lower shaft 43, and the rear ends of the chains are trained over sprocket wheels 52 carried by a transversely extending shaft 53. The shaft 53 is'rotatably mounted in adjustable bearings 54, slidably mounted on the frame beams 2|. A take-up means embodying a spring 55 is employed to eliminate slack in these chains, and the springs are connected with the adjustable bearings and the frame beams 2|.

The cutting mechanism 35 includes a cutting cylinder 55 mounted in rear of the feed rollers 31 and 38. The cutting cylinder can consist of end hubs 51, keyed or otherwise secured to a shaft 58, which is rotatably mounted in bearings carried by frame plates secured to the beams 20'. The hubs 51, in turn, support removable spiral cutting blades 59, which are adapted to sweep pasta cutter bar located in rear of and between the feed rollers 31 and 38. A sharpening bar can also be provided for the cutting knives.

The entire cutting mechanism can be housed within a suitable casing, and the lower end of the housing opens out to a conveying mechanism, such as an endless carrier, or, as shown, a blower 6 2. The casing 63 of the blower is disposed laterally of the cutting mechanism, and its inlet end is provided with an apron, which communicates with the lower end of the housing for the cutting mechanism.

The outlet end of the blower is provided with blower pipes 64, which can lead to a trailer wagon 85. In the illustration shown in Figure l, the blower pipes 64 extend rearwardly, and the wagon is coupled to a drawbar on the frame machine by the use of a suitable reach pole. If preferred, motor trucks can be driven alongside or in rear of the machine, and the blower can thus extend rearwardly or laterally. Where endless conveyorsare utilized, the conveyors can extend either rearwardly or laterally. The blower, shaft 66 extends in rear of and parallel with the cutter shaft 88 and is operatively connected to said cutter shaft, so that the blower can be driven thereby, by means of a pulley belt 81 and pulley wheels 88 and 69, keyed respectively to the cutter shaft and the blower shaft. v

The upper feed roller 81 is preferably corrugated and is keyed or otherwise secured to a transversely extending shaft 10, which is 'slidably mounted in slots 1I formed in side frame plates. The shaft 10, is rotatably mounted on the rear ends of links or arms 12, which are, in turn, rockably mounted on the transversely extending treader shaft 13. The treader shaft 13 is rotatably mounted in bearings carried by the side frame plates of the machine, and this shaft has secured thereto the treading roll 10. This roll can be provided at spaced intervals with material-engaging teeth, and the roll is located directly above the rear end of the feed table 22 and in front of the feedrollers 31 and 88. The upper feed roll 31 and the treading roller 14 are driven in unison, and this is brought about by the use of a sprocket chain 18, which is trained over sprocketwheels 18 and 11 keyed or otherwise secured to the upper feed roll'shaft 10 and the treading roll shaft 13. feed roll 31 is normally urged into engagement with the lower feed roll 38 by the use of coil springs 18. The springs 18 are placed about rods 19, the upper ends of which pivotally engage the links or arms 12, which carry the upper feed roll. These rods 19 loosely extend through guides 80 carried by the frame beams, and the springs of the 18 are confined between said guides and adjustable nuts 8I threaded on the rods 19.

The lower feed roll 38 is keyed or otherwise secured to a feed roll shaft 82, which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings carried by the side frame plates, and one end of the'shaft has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a pinion 83, which constantly meshes with a gear wheel 80, keyed or otherwise secured to a counter or idle shaft 85.rotatably mounted in bearings carried by the side frame plates. This shaft 85 has also keyed thereon a sprocket wheel 86, around which is trained a sprocket. chain 81. This sprocket chain 81 is employed for driving the upper beater roll 88. The upper beater roll 88 is keyed or otherwise secured to a beater shaft 89 carried by bearings secured to brackets 90. These brackets 90 are bolted or otherwise secured to the side frame plates.

The heater roll 88 carries outwardly extending material-engaging fingers 9I, and the roll is located in advance of and above the treading ,roll

' 14. This beater roll serves as means for leveling off the straw or other material and to feed the top straw or other material down to the treading roll. The, treading roll tends to pack th loose straw and then feed the straw to the feeding rolls 31 and 38, where the material is held until cut. The keyed or otherwise secured thereto a sprocket wheel 92, around which is trained the upper end of the sprocket chain 81.

The machine is adapted to be drawn from a tractor T, and hence the frame of the machine The upper beater roll shaft 89' has carries forwardly extending reach. poles 33 and 94. The forward ends of these poles are rigidly united together, and a suitable clevice isprovided. to permit the connection thereof to the drawbar of the tractor. These reach poles are braced together in any desired manner, and the reach pole 84 extends straight back to the tubular axle I8, and is hingedly connected thereto, as at 95. The rear end of this reach pole carries suitable brace plates 98. The reach pole 93 inclines rearwardly and inwardly and is pivotally connected to the axle I8, as at'91. These reach poles carry the control mechanism for the machine, which will be later set forth.

The operating parts of the machine can be driven from an. internal combustion engine placed upon the frame of themachine, or the operating parts of the machine can be driven from the power take-off shaft of the tractor. Such is preferred .in some instances, and, as illustrated, I have provided a forwardly extending drive shaft 88, and the forward end of the shaft is coupled through the use of universal joints with ,the tractor power take-off s'haft.

The shaft 88 extends rearwardly to a gear housing 89 rigidly mounted 'on' the frame of the machine. This gear housing supports the main drive shaft I00, and the shafts 98 and I00 are connected by beveled gearing arranged in the gear housing 89. The shaft I00 is united directly with the cutter shaft 88, but the drive shaft has interposed in the length thereof universal joints IOI at spaced points, and a frangible coupling I02 can also be interposed in the length of the shaft. The lower feed roll shaft 82 extends laterally for a considerable distance beyond its inner frame plate and has connected therewith a relatively large gear wheel I03. This gear wheel is driven from the main drive shaft I00 through the use .of a suitable mechanism I04, which'is employed for I03 in reverse directions and to bring about the stopping of the drive of the shaft 82.

The mechanism I08 includes a swinging head I08 carrying stub shafts I08 and I01 on opposite sides ofthe pivot I08 for the head I05. These stub shafts I08 and I01 have rotatably mounted thereon intermeshing pinions I09 and H0. pinion IIO carries a sprocket wheel III, around which is trained a sprocket chain II2. This sprocket chain H2 is in turn trained about a sprocket wheel II3 keyed or otherwise secured to the maindrive shaft.

The head I05 below its pivot has formed thereon an operating arm H4, to which is pivotally connected an operating link II5. By moving the head on its pivot, either one of the pinions I09 or IIO can be brought into meshing engagement The driving the gear wheel both of the pinions can be moved to a neutral position out of engagement with the gear wheel I03. Obviously, when the gear wheel IIO, which constitutes the normal direct drive, meshes with the gear wheel I03, the said gear wheel and the shaft 82 will be driven in a clockwise direction (referring to Figure 9). When the pinion I09 is brought into meshing engagement with the gear wheel I03, the said gear wheel and the shaft 82 willbe driven in a counterclockwise direction. The pivot I08 for the swinging head or swivel plate I05 is carried byan adjustable plate I45 rockably mounted on shaft 82. The adjustable plate "5 is adjustably bolted, as at I46, to the gear housing H6, so that the chain or other means of drive II2 may be adjusted for various sized sprockets III. The shaft 82 extends through this housing and has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a drive gear I I1 positioned in said housingfi This gear II1 meshes with a gear I I8, which is also located in said housing, and this gear wheel I I8 is keyed or otherwise secured to the upper roll shaft 18.

To bring about the drive of the feed belt 33 and its associated mechanism, previously described, the upper shaft 44 for said feed belt is operatively connected to the lower feed roll shaft 82. Thus, the feed roll shaft 82 has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a sprocket wheel III, around which is trained a sprocket chain I28. This sprocket chain I28 is in turn trained about a sprocket wheel I2I, formed on or secured to a clutch hub I22. The clutch hub I22 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 44, and the clutch hub is adapted to engage a companion clutch hub section I23 feathered on the shaft 44. An expansion spring I24 is utilized for normally urging the clutch hub section I23 into engagement with the clutch hub I22.

When the lower feed roll 82 is directly driven for feeding, the material to the cutter, the clutch teeth of the hubs I22 and I23 engage so as to bring about the operation of the feed belt and its associate parts. However, when the lower feed roller has its direction reversed for carrying material away from the cutting mechanism, the teeth of the hub I22 merely ratchet over the teeth of the hub section I23. I

Referring briefly to the driving mechanism, it

can be seen that the cutter is directly driven from the main-drive shaft I88, and that the blower is driven from. the cutter shaft through the belt 81.

The drive from the shaft I88 is transferred to the shaft 82 of the lower feed roll through the reversing and idling mechanism I84. This lower shaft 82, in turn, drives the feed belt, and the feed belt operates the pickup mechanism and the side conveyor chains 49.

The top beater roll 88 is driven from the shaft 88 by the chain 81, and this shaft is in turn drivenfrom the lower feed roll 82 through the intermeshing gears 83 and 84. The upper roll shaft 13 is driven from the shaft 82, through the-intermeshing gears H1 and H8, and the top roll shaft 18 operates the treading roll'through the belt 15.

To permit the driving mechanism to be controlled from. the front of the machine, a hand lever I2! is provided. This hand lever is pivotally mounted at its lower end, as at I26, on one of the drawbars within convenient reach of the operator of the tractor. Extending rearwardly from the lever- I 25 above its pivot is a link I21. The rear end of the link is pivotally connected to the outer end of a double-armed lever I 28. The lever I28 is rockably mounted intermediate its ends, as at I28, or the frame of the machine, and the inner end of the lever has pivotally connected thereto the link 5, which is connected to the arm II4 of the swinging head I 85. Thus, by moving the hand lever I25 back and forth, the head I85 can be swung on its pivot soas to bring either one of the pinions I89 or II8 into engagement with the gear I83, or to a disengaged neutral position, as shown in Figure 9.

To adjust the frame on the axle I6, so that the shoes 35 can be raised and lowered, a hand lever I38 is 83 or 84, and this lever is located rockably mounted on the pivot pin I28 and is located adjacent the hand lever I28, so that the same can be operated by the driver of the tractor.

Extending rearwardly from the hand lever I38 is a rod -I3I, and to the upper end. of one arm of a bell-crank I32. The bell-crank I32 is rockably mounted at its angle, as at I33, on the beam 84 and is pivotally connected by means of a U-shaped link I34 with a forwardly extending frame beam I38, which is rigidly connected to one of the axle plates". The rod 'I3I is provided with a hooked terminal I38 for engaging about the hand lever I38, wherebracket I38 secured to the hand lever I38. The spring I31 keeps the shoes down when going upgrade, and allows the shoes and the pickup mechanism to follow the contour of the ground surface.

The weight of the .machine is so distributed that only a very small part of it is supported by the tractor drawbar. The rest of the weight of the frame is balanced over the axle I8 in such a manner that the height of the pickup mechanism and shoes can be readily regulated by the hand lever I38 with its compensating spring adjustment I31. By manipulating the lever, the pickup shoes can be made to practically'float over the ground'or to clear the ground entirely and permit the fast moving of the machine from one field to another.

The hand lever I38 means of a spring-pressed dog I48, which is adapted to engage in any one of a plurality of openings or notches formed in a sector bar I secured to the beam 84. The dog I48 is manipulated from a pivoted finger grip I42 by the use of suitable intermediate mechawhen the lever is pulled forwardly, the bell-crank is rocked, which pushes up on the frame beam I38. When the lever I38 is pushed rearwardly, the bell-crank pulls down on the frame beam I38. From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided a novel unitary machine for picking up crops from a field, conveying the crops to a cutter, and then delivering the cut material to following wagons.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

In a harvesting machine, a cutting mechanism, a main drive shaft, means for operating the cutting mechanism directly from said drive this rod is pivotally connected can be held in any preferred 7 intermeshing pinions rotatably carried by the ER WIN W. SAIBERIJCH.

provided; This lever I38 is also I 7 drive gear, or either 

